Lucibela Freitas Dos Santos, better known as Lucibela, was born in Tarrafal on the island of São Nicolau, one of the Barlavento islands, in Cabo Verde on April 18, 1986.
When Lucibela’s family moved to Mindelo on the island of São Vicente, had an opportunity to develop her singing skills. While in high school, she joined a local band called Mindel Som.
Years later, she began to sing in the hotels of Santa Maria on the island of Sal and Sal Rei on the island of Boa Vista. She refined her technique and became an instant hit with the tourists, performing songs made famous by the great singers of Cabo Verde: Cesaria Evora, Titina, and Bana.
In 2012, the young vocalist relocated to Praia, where she was almost immediately a star attraction at musical events in the capital. She met different musicians there, including the guitarist Kaku Alves, who had played throughout the world with Cesaria for around 15 years.
In 2016, Lucibela made her debut in Lisbon. Some journalists compared her to Cesaria Evora. “Cesaria is unique and there’ll never be another Cesaria,” humbly asserted the young singer. “My aim is to carry on the work Cesaria began. I want to sing Cabo Verdean musical genres – such as morna and coladera – pretty much anywhere in the world, and I want to succeed because of my own talent.”
Lucibela was selected to showcase at the 2017 Atlantic Music Expo – a major music fair where musicians and producers from all over the globe meet in mid-Atlantic in Praia, a focal point of world music. Lucibela became a sensation for the professionals, journalists, and show promoters visiting the Expo.
In October and November 2017, Lucibela recorded her first album in Lisbon with highly respected guitarist and arranger Toy Vieira, produced by Lusafrica’s José da Silva. The album, titled Laço Umbilical (Umbilical cord) was released in February 2018.
In 2019 Lucibela released a new edition of Laço Umbilical with new versions of some songs and additional new material as well.
Her second album, Amdjer, was released in 2022. It is a tribute to Cape Verdean women as well as all women in general. The album depicts the facts of daily life, where sorrows, anxieties, and challenges are reflected. At the same time, Amdjer also celebrates the women’s strength, determination, joy of living and the theme of love.
In 2024, she released Moda Antiga (‘In the old way’). The goal of the album is to preserve Cape Verde’s island’s roots, mornas, coladeiras. Lucibela shared: “We don’t have conservatories or music schools to ensure this protection and transmission to new generations… I feel it’s my duty to do so. “
Discography:
Laço Umbilical (Lusafrica, 2018)
Amdjer (Lusafrica, 2022)
Moda Antiga (Lusafrica, 2024)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.